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Trivium Premiere

The judging system that will be used at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games to decide the outcome of the battles is field-tested today at the BOTY Central Europe breaking event in Zurich, SUI. The Trivium Value System ...

Dancing Is About To Start

Dancing is about to start in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, where the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games are currently in full swing. The eleven (!) medal events in DanceSport will be held on 25 and 26 September.

Ten Years of Professional Dancing in WDSF

On the occasion of the 2017 PD World Standard in Prague, CZE, the community took a look back at the first ten years of WDSF PD and its predecessor organisation, celebrating together with some of the biggest names in dance.

PD World Champions Standard

Benedetto Ferruggia and Claudia Koehler, GER, won their second world title as professionals. First and second runners-up were Donatas Vezelis - Lina Chatkeviciute, LTU, and Bjorn Bisch - Ashli Williamson, DEN, respectively.

Don't Miss This!

History was made at the 2017 World Standard in Chengdu, CHN. Russians Dmitry Zharkov and Olga Kulikova equalled the three titles of four legendary couples. Germans Simone Segatori and Annette Sudol moved on to the PD.

Double The Honours

Four years ago, Vice-President James "Jim" Fraser was awarded the "Caring Canadian" in recognition of his services to non-profit organisations tied to DanceSport. Now he is honoured with the "Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers."

Doping in DanceSport? 13/09/2012

In the dancefloor-magazin.ch article on doping controls in DanceSport, editor Reinhard Egli expresses a view that is commonplace in the community.

"Due to the multi-faceted challenges – some of them diametrically opposed and in contrasting areas – doping in DanceSport, as of today, can hardly be purposeful or systematic."

The direct link between prohibited substances and the object of the sport is easily identified in cycling (EPO and endurance) and weightlifting (steroids and strength), but in DanceSport?

While physical exertion in a four-round Ten Dance competition is a notch or two below that of an athlete running in a marathon, it is significant. But is it enough so for cheats to resort to the use of drugs?

All athletes put high demands on their body; those in DanceSport are no exception. But could that lead a cheat to take human growth hormones? They even come conveniently packaged as ingredients in anti-aging cosmetic products.

We will never know the definite answers to these – or similar – questions, and that is exactly why doping controls have their place in DanceSport too. To keep the playing field level for the 99% who do not cheat!

What seems to be clear is that many (if not most) positive tests in DanceSport result from ignorance and carelessness on the part of the athletes. Nutritional supplements, diuretics, weight loss and hair growth products are frequently self-administered. After all, to look and feel good, one doesn’t necessarily have to consult a physician. That could turn out to be the wrong assumption, particularly if these products are purchased from dubious outlets.